My favorite book is Woman in the Dunes written by Koubou Abe. This novel describes the story of a man who was confined to the hole in dune. At first, he planed to escape from the hole. However, he found new way to live in that hole. I think this book describes the weakness (or the changeability) of human's subject.
Firstly I want to summerize the novel. The main character is a man who works in a school. His hobby is to collect insects. His wish is to list his name on the encyclopedia of insects as a descoverer of new kind of Spanish fly. For that reason, he often goes to country to collect insects.
One day, he went to a villedge surrounded by dune. After the sun set, he started to look for lodging. Finally, he decided to lodge at a house of a woman in the hole of the same biledge. However, actually, cheated by inhabitants of the viledge, he was confined to the hole. The inhabitants made him remove sand because the viledge was able to carry through only with daily removing sand. He planed to escape from the hole by using many ways. However, finally he decided to continue to live in the hole.
He objected to inhuman act of the inhabitants and planed to escape from the hole. However eventually he decided to live there. What change his mind? I think what changed his mind is surroundings. The surroundings in the hole was hard. Water provided by inhabitants daily was not enough to share two people, the main character and the woman. When they stopped to remove sand, providing water was also stopped. Therefore they had no choice but removing. The life in the hole, however, became not bad to him day by day. He found the fact that the life in the hole had a value all its own. In the course of time, the both made a child in the hole. Then he decided to live in the hole. Every factor in the hole made him do so. Living and surroundings in the hole changed his subject gradually.
I want to say that human's subjects is not made by themselves. Surroundings create all subjects. My way of thinking is also made by my all experiences given by surroundings about me. Human beings is tend to think their thinkings is something special. I think it is not true. If someone is good, it suggest only the fact that he was lucky. There is noboby who is good or bad innately. This is what I learn from this book.
2007年5月28日月曜日
The history of the rock music -From 1970's to now-
In 1969, the Beatles disbanded and an album made the first prize of the Beatles' last album lose in the England charts. The album was "In the Court of the Crimson King" by King Crimson. King Crimson is called the exponent of the progressive rock. Progressive rock aimed to make rock music become art like clasical music. Therefore, their lirycs was too profound to understand and technic of playing instruments became high level. However this tendency to be artistic advanced leaving of young people from rock music.
At that, punk rock music appeared at the popular music chart. Punk rock music was opposite to progressive rock. Punk was easy to understand, play and join. This quality of punk music absorbed young people in England. In 1977, Sex Pistols' first and last album sold like hot cakes. They should have won the first prize in the charts of England. However they actually won the second prize because of the manipulation of the charts. It is because they did not hide their antisocial attitude. It seemed dengerous to adults for them to win the first prize in the charts. However, their destructive attitude eventually destroyed themselves. Sex Pistols disbanded in 1978. Although punk rock movement was short-lived, the influences on after rock music was very large.
In the 1980's, many types of rock music appeared. These music as a whole is called New Wave. There was no particular similarity. However, under this condition, rock music got freedom of expression. Only one type of music was received widely in popular music scene. That was heavy metal.
In 1990's, grange movement started in United States. Of those groups, the most famous group is Nirvana. They played punk rock music with heavy metalic chord progression and heavy riffs.
At that, punk rock music appeared at the popular music chart. Punk rock music was opposite to progressive rock. Punk was easy to understand, play and join. This quality of punk music absorbed young people in England. In 1977, Sex Pistols' first and last album sold like hot cakes. They should have won the first prize in the charts of England. However they actually won the second prize because of the manipulation of the charts. It is because they did not hide their antisocial attitude. It seemed dengerous to adults for them to win the first prize in the charts. However, their destructive attitude eventually destroyed themselves. Sex Pistols disbanded in 1978. Although punk rock movement was short-lived, the influences on after rock music was very large.
In the 1980's, many types of rock music appeared. These music as a whole is called New Wave. There was no particular similarity. However, under this condition, rock music got freedom of expression. Only one type of music was received widely in popular music scene. That was heavy metal.
In 1990's, grange movement started in United States. Of those groups, the most famous group is Nirvana. They played punk rock music with heavy metalic chord progression and heavy riffs.
2007年5月19日土曜日
The history of rock music -from its birth to the end of 1960's-
Rock music is one of the most popular music now. I'll write about the history of the rock music.
Rock music has its origin in black music like jazz, rhythm and blues, country and western and blues. When is rock music's birthday? There is some answers to this question. However, general answer is that the birthday is when "Rock around the Clock" is sung by Bill Haley. In those days, rock and roll was thought as vulgar by "sensible" people. Therefore, when Elvis' sexual dance was broadcasted on TV program(he shook his waist), his lower half of the body was out of the picture. Nevertheless, rock music gained popularity mainly among young people. The young people of those days were absorbed in Elvis. However rock music's frenzy was ended by Elvis' enlistment, the death of Buddy Holly and other rock'n'rollers. Rock was past music in USA until the British invasion landed.
British invasion in the context of popular music means the reimporting of rock music from England. In the England of the 1950's, the trend of skiffle music started. This trend influenced many British groups including the Beatles. The Beatles were formed in liverpool, England and then they made contract with EMI. Their first single failed in sales in 1962. However their second single won a first prize in England chart. Then they also won first prize in America. They became the idol of the world in hte blink of an eye. These were main events in early 1960's of popular music. When the Beatles broadcast in the Ed Sallivan show, there was no juvenile delinquency in the United States as a whole.
In the middle 1960's, the hippie movement begun. Hippies were the people who read the books of beatnik, resisted existent values and moral, woer the vivid clothing, took drugs for preasure, lived in particular community, insisted "love and peace" and objected to the Vietnam War. They were good listener of rock music. Of course, that they violated the laws was wrong but they contributed the development of rock music. Although the Beatles were still popular, there came a man who revolutionized playing the guitar. The man was Jimi Hendrix. He played rock music in the commitment to bluse and other black music with destructive performance and absolutely innovative style. Although there were many other great groups, the most famous group is the Jimi Hendrix and the experience. However, this movement was finished with 1960's. The Woodstock festival was the last fantasy of the hippie movement.
Rock music has its origin in black music like jazz, rhythm and blues, country and western and blues. When is rock music's birthday? There is some answers to this question. However, general answer is that the birthday is when "Rock around the Clock" is sung by Bill Haley. In those days, rock and roll was thought as vulgar by "sensible" people. Therefore, when Elvis' sexual dance was broadcasted on TV program(he shook his waist), his lower half of the body was out of the picture. Nevertheless, rock music gained popularity mainly among young people. The young people of those days were absorbed in Elvis. However rock music's frenzy was ended by Elvis' enlistment, the death of Buddy Holly and other rock'n'rollers. Rock was past music in USA until the British invasion landed.
British invasion in the context of popular music means the reimporting of rock music from England. In the England of the 1950's, the trend of skiffle music started. This trend influenced many British groups including the Beatles. The Beatles were formed in liverpool, England and then they made contract with EMI. Their first single failed in sales in 1962. However their second single won a first prize in England chart. Then they also won first prize in America. They became the idol of the world in hte blink of an eye. These were main events in early 1960's of popular music. When the Beatles broadcast in the Ed Sallivan show, there was no juvenile delinquency in the United States as a whole.
In the middle 1960's, the hippie movement begun. Hippies were the people who read the books of beatnik, resisted existent values and moral, woer the vivid clothing, took drugs for preasure, lived in particular community, insisted "love and peace" and objected to the Vietnam War. They were good listener of rock music. Of course, that they violated the laws was wrong but they contributed the development of rock music. Although the Beatles were still popular, there came a man who revolutionized playing the guitar. The man was Jimi Hendrix. He played rock music in the commitment to bluse and other black music with destructive performance and absolutely innovative style. Although there were many other great groups, the most famous group is the Jimi Hendrix and the experience. However, this movement was finished with 1960's. The Woodstock festival was the last fantasy of the hippie movement.
2007年5月7日月曜日
Jean Paul Sartre
Jean Paul Sartre, an existentialist(1905-1980), insisted the nothingness of God and that existence precedes essence.
He used famous similitude to explain what existentialism was. As he put it, paper knives have essence that paper knives is for cutting paper. There is nobody who makes paper knives without understanding what this tool is useful for. In other words, whenever anything is made, there should be essence like use and purpose, so every created things must have essence. In brief, essence precedes existence, if only the problem is about paper knives or any other tools. Essence is the concept which all created things have.
For long time in western culture(or in most culture), people have thought that human beings also must have essence as all created things have. It is because the experience of living often made human beings undergo hardships. If there is any reason to live, namely essence to live, human beings can overcome the hardships. Because essence is given by creator, essence needs the creator of the owner of that essence. Therefore human beings started to believe the being of Creator, that is to say God. They thought that human beings was created by God. Therefore, human beings must have essence to live, thought people. Sartre object to this point.
As I wrote, if the problem is about tools, it can be said that essence precedes existence. However, if only the problem is about human beings, the both words upend, thought Sartre. In the case of human beings, existence precedes essence. Essence is not given to people, because God as creator of human beings doesn't exist no longer. Therefore human beings must create essence for themselves. There is no correct answer about this problem. He said that essence is a pile of behaviour. Therefore, every man and woman should create essence through their option of behaving. Everything is permitted. What you have done is what your essence are.
Like this, his logic presumed that God doesn't exist. He didn't prove that God doesn't exist. Anyone can choose to believe God or not. At least, for anyone who don't believe God, his idea gives some suggestion.
He used famous similitude to explain what existentialism was. As he put it, paper knives have essence that paper knives is for cutting paper. There is nobody who makes paper knives without understanding what this tool is useful for. In other words, whenever anything is made, there should be essence like use and purpose, so every created things must have essence. In brief, essence precedes existence, if only the problem is about paper knives or any other tools. Essence is the concept which all created things have.
For long time in western culture(or in most culture), people have thought that human beings also must have essence as all created things have. It is because the experience of living often made human beings undergo hardships. If there is any reason to live, namely essence to live, human beings can overcome the hardships. Because essence is given by creator, essence needs the creator of the owner of that essence. Therefore human beings started to believe the being of Creator, that is to say God. They thought that human beings was created by God. Therefore, human beings must have essence to live, thought people. Sartre object to this point.
As I wrote, if the problem is about tools, it can be said that essence precedes existence. However, if only the problem is about human beings, the both words upend, thought Sartre. In the case of human beings, existence precedes essence. Essence is not given to people, because God as creator of human beings doesn't exist no longer. Therefore human beings must create essence for themselves. There is no correct answer about this problem. He said that essence is a pile of behaviour. Therefore, every man and woman should create essence through their option of behaving. Everything is permitted. What you have done is what your essence are.
Like this, his logic presumed that God doesn't exist. He didn't prove that God doesn't exist. Anyone can choose to believe God or not. At least, for anyone who don't believe God, his idea gives some suggestion.
2007年5月1日火曜日
Levi-Strauss
Claude Levi-Strauss was an anthropologist of French. He is famous for his contribution to the development of structuralism. His method of research has had a large influence on the development of contemporary thought.
He studied philosophy in his young days. This experience influenced later his research. Then he changed his major to anthropology. Before his works, the theme of anthropology put importance on the study on historical aspect of human culture changes. For example, an anthropologist went to the village of some uncivilized tribes and investigated how their customs had changed historically. However Levi-Strauss emphasized not historical change but the structure of them. It is more important for him to realize essence of human beings by understanding what the structure means.
When Levi-Strauss was in America seeking for political asylum, he was taught linguistic method of Ferdinand de Saussure by Jacobson who was also in America for political asylum from Switzerland. He applied the method to analysis of customs. He make much of "structure" in the analysis of human being's customs. By applying the method of linguistics to anthropology, he succeeded in solving the mystery of some tribes' customs which meant apparently nothing and had remained unsolved long time. Like this, his name got to be known.
He studied philosophy in his young days. This experience influenced later his research. Then he changed his major to anthropology. Before his works, the theme of anthropology put importance on the study on historical aspect of human culture changes. For example, an anthropologist went to the village of some uncivilized tribes and investigated how their customs had changed historically. However Levi-Strauss emphasized not historical change but the structure of them. It is more important for him to realize essence of human beings by understanding what the structure means.
When Levi-Strauss was in America seeking for political asylum, he was taught linguistic method of Ferdinand de Saussure by Jacobson who was also in America for political asylum from Switzerland. He applied the method to analysis of customs. He make much of "structure" in the analysis of human being's customs. By applying the method of linguistics to anthropology, he succeeded in solving the mystery of some tribes' customs which meant apparently nothing and had remained unsolved long time. Like this, his name got to be known.
Jean-Paul Sartre who is famous as an exponent of existentialism reigned over thought in French after World WarⅡ. Sartre's thought inherited the tendency of historical recognition that a rational man can not misjudge recognition about historical political problems from Marxism. Although Sartre declared the death of God or nothingness of absolute truth, he admitted quality of perfection about historical recognition of Marxism. Levi-Strauss blamed Sartre for this point, because this logic about history in the tendency to overestimate own thought as objective thought, and insisted that this tendency was the arrogance of western civilization. This indication of Levi-Strauss denied the linear view of history in the western civilization.
Like this, structuralism accomplished sloughing off modernism.
Structuralism is often blamed by Post-Structuralists for its mistakes. However Structuralism is important for us to understand contemporary thought.
Funabashi
Today I write about my hometown, Funabashi.
Funabashi is a city in Chiba prefecture where many people living in the town is have no particular character. Everybody is ordinary. The town has no particular industry(, although there is a little industrial area along Tokyo bay). In other words, the town is a bedroom suburb. The town is neither urban city nor country. However the town has a large population. It can be said that only a large population is a characteristic of Funabashi city.
I wrote much about bad point of that city. Next I write about good point.
There are some celebrities from funabashi city. Tomohisa Yamasita is the most known person from Funabashi city. He now appears TV drama, "Propose Daisakusen". Azusa Yamamoto is also famous person. She is a TV idol. Kuraki Mai is a famous singer from Funabashi city. Masayosi Hayasi is a pitcher of Yomiuri Giants from this city. There are some celebrities but the reason is the city has a large population. Haruki Murakami lived in this city once.
If I lived in another city, I did not want to live in Funabashi. There is no fascination of Funabashi for me. However I like this city because I come from this city.
I think hometown has a special fascination for everyone. Of course, it is same about me.
Funabashi is a city in Chiba prefecture where many people living in the town is have no particular character. Everybody is ordinary. The town has no particular industry(, although there is a little industrial area along Tokyo bay). In other words, the town is a bedroom suburb. The town is neither urban city nor country. However the town has a large population. It can be said that only a large population is a characteristic of Funabashi city.
I wrote much about bad point of that city. Next I write about good point.
There are some celebrities from funabashi city. Tomohisa Yamasita is the most known person from Funabashi city. He now appears TV drama, "Propose Daisakusen". Azusa Yamamoto is also famous person. She is a TV idol. Kuraki Mai is a famous singer from Funabashi city. Masayosi Hayasi is a pitcher of Yomiuri Giants from this city. There are some celebrities but the reason is the city has a large population. Haruki Murakami lived in this city once.
If I lived in another city, I did not want to live in Funabashi. There is no fascination of Funabashi for me. However I like this city because I come from this city.
I think hometown has a special fascination for everyone. Of course, it is same about me.
Psychology in daily life
Today I want to write about psychology. However, I do not have much knowledge
about psychology to write deeply. If I am wrong or you can not agree with my opinion,
please forgive and forget.
Recently, I read a book written by Hayao Kawai who studied Jungian psychology
in Germany. This book is about Jung's concept of complex.
According to Jung, complex is a part of unconsciousness that grows when one's ego is one-sided
in order to cover the defect of ego, and it is colored by emotion. Even if a person has a complex in
his/her unconsciousness, the complex is hardly recognized by himself/herself. Therefore a
person who has strong complex in his/her unconsciousness sometimes projects his/her complex
to someone and hate them without any clear reason. For example, if you hate someone by no
reason without emotion, you may project your complex to the person.
Do you have any person whom you hate illogically or emotionally?
This book introduces an episode for an example of this theory. One day an woman came to the
author of this book for mental medical examination. She was a student of university. She hated a
female class mate. According to her, the class mate came to university only for searching for a
boy friend and she did not want to see the class mate more, so she could not go to university.
However, by counseling her, the author found one thing that she hated the class mate without
any logical reason. Common sense will tell you that it is nonsense for a woman to enter
university only to search a good boy friend. In other words, she projected her complex for the
other sex to the class mate. In the end of this episode, she got a boy friend and overcame her
complex.
According to the author, it is important to recognize the existence of complex in your mind and
to accept the complex. Complex is a part of your mind. If you do so, you can advance as a
human.
After I read this book, I thought about myself. I have some memory which agrees with this
book's contents and I think I found my complex. It may be true or false. However, it is certain
that I got a new point of view on myself.
I was very moved by this book, so I am going to write about this book again from another point
of view.
about psychology to write deeply. If I am wrong or you can not agree with my opinion,
please forgive and forget.
Recently, I read a book written by Hayao Kawai who studied Jungian psychology
in Germany. This book is about Jung's concept of complex.
According to Jung, complex is a part of unconsciousness that grows when one's ego is one-sided
in order to cover the defect of ego, and it is colored by emotion. Even if a person has a complex in
his/her unconsciousness, the complex is hardly recognized by himself/herself. Therefore a
person who has strong complex in his/her unconsciousness sometimes projects his/her complex
to someone and hate them without any clear reason. For example, if you hate someone by no
reason without emotion, you may project your complex to the person.
Do you have any person whom you hate illogically or emotionally?
This book introduces an episode for an example of this theory. One day an woman came to the
author of this book for mental medical examination. She was a student of university. She hated a
female class mate. According to her, the class mate came to university only for searching for a
boy friend and she did not want to see the class mate more, so she could not go to university.
However, by counseling her, the author found one thing that she hated the class mate without
any logical reason. Common sense will tell you that it is nonsense for a woman to enter
university only to search a good boy friend. In other words, she projected her complex for the
other sex to the class mate. In the end of this episode, she got a boy friend and overcame her
complex.
According to the author, it is important to recognize the existence of complex in your mind and
to accept the complex. Complex is a part of your mind. If you do so, you can advance as a
human.
After I read this book, I thought about myself. I have some memory which agrees with this
book's contents and I think I found my complex. It may be true or false. However, it is certain
that I got a new point of view on myself.
I was very moved by this book, so I am going to write about this book again from another point
of view.
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